


Fingerpaint a Turkey

by glamaphonic



Category: Spectacular Spider-Man
Genre: F/M, Female Friendship, Friendship, Implied Relationship, Love Triangle, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-20
Updated: 2009-11-20
Packaged: 2017-10-03 11:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glamaphonic/pseuds/glamaphonic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he hears the footsteps, he half expects her and he freezes, shocked still by a thrill of anticipation and fear, like leaping through the air for a ledge he's not entirely sure he can reach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fingerpaint a Turkey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the fox bandit](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=the+fox+bandit).



Nearly December and far too cold for lunch on the quad, Peter drags his brown bag out there anyway, nestles in the corner of the table that is his and Gwen's and MJ's (was his and Gwen's and Harry's and what kind of trade-off is that exactly?) and bites into his Thanksgiving sandwich.

Cranberry sauce leaks out onto his hand and he doesn't think as he licks it off. Not at all. Not about Gwen's mouth or the way her lips felt on his. Or the way she looked at him when she caught his eye in the hall today because shes his best friend, his _best friend_, and he ~~can't~~ ~~wants to~~ doesn't know how to do this. Not with Gwen.

When he hears the footsteps, he half expects her and he freezes, shocked still by a thrill of anticipation and fear, like leaping through the air for a ledge he's not entirely sure he can reach. There is an edge of relief as well because at least now he'll have to figure it out and deal, Gwen won't stand for anything less, and maybe it won't confuse everything beyond hope of repair. Maybe he won't screw it up. Maybe, as a noisy, excited part of him insists, it'll be something completely better than what they had before.

"Hey, Tiger," says Mary Jane smoothly as she sits beside him and leans back against the table. She smells faintly of strawberries. Something flutters in his stomach, but it's not disappointment. Another reason to be afraid.

"MJ, hi," Peter responds, attempting casual but falling well short.

She leans towards him, bright green eyes boring into his and he has to blink, clear his throat, stare down at his sandwich.

"She's not coming."

He looks up again.

"I, uh, I don't-" he stammers, unsure of where he's going. Mary Jane doesn't wait for him to figure it out.

"She made the first move, and she'd kill me if she knew I said anything to you, but it was really, really hard for her. And you left her hanging. She's not going to try again. It's on you."

Silence descends. A chilly winter breeze floats by and rustles their hair. Mary Jane tugs at her jacket, pops the collar up to cover the smooth skin of her neck, and Peter thinks that he's never seen her like this before, serious and quiet, teetering on the edge of pensive.

"I'm not sure if I can be...what she deserves," he admits finally. All his problems: distilled and filtered.

Mary Jane's smile is brilliant. "That's a really pathetic excuse, Tiger."

He has no defense.

"Do you like Gwen? No excuses or qualifiers. Do you like her?"

"Yes." The answer is immediate. "But it's not-" She bites her bottom lip as she waits for him to continue, but it doesn't wear away the pink tint of her lipgloss.

He averts his eyes. "It's not that simple," he finishes.

Mary Jane exhales, reaches out and pats Peter gently on one hand, looks at him with fond affection before she stands to go.

"Everything's simple, Peter," she says over her shoulder and with utter conviction, "As long as you don't overthink it."


End file.
